different between distract vs intimidate

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin distractus, from distrah? (“to pull apart”), from dis- + trah? (“to pull”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?s?t?ækt/
• Rhymes: -ækt

Verb

distract (third-person singular simple present distracts, present participle distracting, simple past and past participle distracted)

1. (transitive) To divert the attention of.
2. (transitive) To make crazy or insane; to drive to distraction.

Related terms

• distracted
• distractible
• distracting
• distraction

Translations

Adjective

distract (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Separated; drawn asunder.
2. (obsolete) Insane; mad.
   • 1612, Michael Drayton, Poly-Olbion song 6 p. 3[1]:

     (Alone shee beeing left the spoyle of love and death,

     In labour of her griefe outrageously distract,

     The utmost of her spleene on her false lord to act)

See also

• distraught

Anagrams

• adstrict

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin intimidatus, past participle of intimidare (“to make afraid”), from Latin in (“in”) + timidus (“afraid, timid”); see timid.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?t?m?de?t/

Verb

intimidate (third-person singular simple present intimidates, present participle intimidating, simple past and past participle intimidated)

1. (transitive) To make timid or afraid; to cause to feel fear or nervousness; to deter, especially by threats of violence

   He's trying to intimidate you. If you ignore him, hopefully he'll stop.

   Synonym: abash

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:intimidate

Related terms

• intimidatingly
• intimidation
• intimidator
• intimidatory
• timid

Translations

References

• intimidate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• intimidate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.